A Legate's Betrayal
by Darkness1080
Summary: Legate Lanius, otherwise known as Uzumaki Naruto is betrayed by Caesar. After dealing with his would be assassins, he meets up with the courier and joins her on her quest. What adventures will these two get in to? Read and Find out! Title and summary suck, I know but the story is better.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello again everyone. I am sorry about the rapid influx of new stories recently, I have had so many story ideas recently that I just had to type them out before they drove me crazy. This story idea came to me when I was looking at the stats on my other Fallout fanfic that I published. There are major differences between this one and that story though they both have roughly the same theme, redemption. I won't reveal anything besides that. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the first chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fallout or Naruto, they belong to Bethesda Games and Masashi Kishimoto respectively.**

* * *

><p>Legate Lanius sighed as he looked over a plan to invade the town of Nipton. The place was a cesspit of sinful activity; drugs, sex, gambling and all. He hated places like these, so why did he feel regret when he thought of its destruction? After all, he was known for his ruthlessness.<p>

"Why does this trouble me?" He mumbled to himself. His voice was low and raspy, intimidating enough that it would send lesser men running. He then looked over the plan again and saw who was in charge. A soldier named Vulpes Inculta. Normally this would mean nothing to him, as he cared little about any member of the legion save for Caesar. This one however, was different.

To anyone else, they would see Vulpes as a quiet, friendly young man. But, Lanius knew his true colors. He was extremely cunning, true to his name. (Vulpes=fox). He was also quite ruthless and was able to bring victory from a hopeless situation.

Now, normally, he would respect that. However, he also knew that Vulpes only looked after himself, not the legion, not even Caesar. He knew that, given the chance, Vulpes would kill both him and Caesar and take control of the Legion. This was something that he could not allow. With that in mind, he stepped out of the war tent in his camp, taking in the rather depressing sight of his camp.

The area was bleak, as if all life had been sucked out of it. Slaves carrying massive loads on their backs walked to and fro, obeying the orders of their masters. The soldiers stationed there stood still, ready to attack should anything happen.

Lanius sighed before deciding to talk to his leader. A few minutes later, he arrived at Caesar's tent before being asked to give up his weapons. He ignored the guards and walked in, seeing Caesar on his makeshift throne with his chin resting on his right hand, looking rather bored. When he saw just who had walked into his tent, he shifted in his chair in order to sit straight, giving his full attention to the legate.

"Yes, Lanius? What is it that you need?" Caesar asked curiously. The legate rarely if ever talked to him unless it was necessary. He was a very withdrawn person which was what Caesar liked about him.

"Lord Caesar." Lanius greeted with a bow before continuing. "I see that Vulpes Inculta has been nominated to lead the raid on Nipton. I do not doubt his abilities, however I would at least like to be present." He spoke, hiding his true intentions well.

"Hmm. Why? You have never shown interest before in our raids. Why is this one so special?" Caesar asked. It was true, the legate had hardly shown interest in anything unless it involved battle so it was odd to see him so interested in a small raid.

Lanius thought for a second before coming up with an excuse. "Sir, Nipton is not only on the border of California and Nevada, but it is also very close to the NCR's Mojave Outpost. If we take the town then the NCR will strike back. Our rather small force that we are sending would get absolutely decimated by them. If I am there, given my reputation, the NCR wouldn't dare attack." He said. He heard Caesar hum in thought again before seeing him nod to himself.

"Alright Legate. I see what you mean. You may lead the forces in Nipton along with young Vulpes. Now, begone. I am getting another headache." The leader responded while rubbing his temples. He had been getting headaches for a while now but no one knew why.

Deciding not to overstay his visit, Lanius bowed again before heading outside. The guards stationed at the front glared at his back, obviously not happy about him not obeying them. They knew better than to attack Lanius though.

Lanius ignored the fools before meeting up with Vulpes' group of about ten legionnaires. When he arrived, he noticed that Vulpes immediately snapped to face him while the other soldiers bowed to their commander.

"Legate Lanius? What do you need?" Vulpes asked in his normal silky tone.

"Lord Caesar has allowed me to accompany your group. I will be your commanding officer for the raid on Nipton." The legate took silent joy in seeing the brief look of anger cross the young frumentarii's face.

"Yes sir. Lead the way, sir." Vulpes said with a slight sneer. Lanius ignored him in favor of starting on their way to Nipton which was quite a distance from their base in Cottonwood Cove.

On the way there, they encountered various wasteland creatures along with teams of raiders which were swiftly dealt with. Eventually, they arrived at Nipton on the morning of the second day of travel. The town was worse than they thought.

They walked through the town, noticing that everyone gave them plenty of space. They had heard the stories of the legion and were more than a little scared of them, especially Lanius. In the streets, various drunks stumbled about, with one actually bumping into the legate before cursing him out. Lanius merely scoffed at the man before pulling his massive blade off of his back and cutting the drunk in half with a flick of his wrist.

Eventually, they made it to the town hall. They walked in, ignoring the secretary who asked them to stop. They walked up the stairs and into the mayor's office. Said mayor was currently busy typing at his terminal and so did not see them walk in. Lanius, having enough of being ignored, slammed his fist onto the man's desk, causing the wood to shatter and the mayor to jump out of his seat.

"Now that we have your attention, we have a deal we want to make." Vulpes said, getting the man's attention.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my office!?" He screeched. Lanius then grabbed the man by his throat and easily lifted him off the ground.

"Be silent, fool. You will listen to us and if you do not, I will not hesitate to end your pathetic, miserable life! Do I make myself clear, _worm?_" The legate questioned as if daring the man to say something. The mayor nodded and was let down.

"Now, as I was saying, we have a deal we wish to make with you." Vulpes said again.

"What is it?" The mayor asked fearfully.

"Do not be afraid. If you simply listen to what we say, we will spare your life. Anyway, we have seen that both the NCR and the Powder Gangers frequent this town. We wish to make an example of them. The NCR for obvious reasons and the Powder Gangers because they have been harassing our patrols recently." Vulpes said with the mayor taking a moment to think about it.

"What's in it for me?" He asked, thinking of the money he could milk from the legion.

"8,000 caps. You also, as an added bonus, get to keep your life. So, do you accept? It would be a _shame _if we had to crucify you." Lanius spoke with some sadistic glee at the end.

"I accept!" The mayor yelled giddily. Not only would he be making a large amount of caps but he would also be able to not die on a cross which was a definite plus.

"Good. I am glad to see you are a sensible man. We will be leaving now but be warned that if you cross us, the results will not be good for you" Vulpes remarked as they walked out. They decided to set up camp a small distance away from the city, close enough that they could still observe the city. The lower ranking soldiers quickly went to bed while both Vulpes and Lanius stayed outside. As they observed, they noticed just how bad the city got at night.

"Disgusting. They live like animals, wild and untamed." The legate remarked. It was true, by now the NCR troopers had shown up in town and quickly got drunk. Various hookers roamed the streets, occasionally being taken away by one of the troopers. They didn't even bother to hide their adultery, instead choosing to have sex in the middle of the street.

"True. Soon though, this will all come to an end." Vulpes said from his spot to the left of him.

"Don't forget that I am your superior. If you step out of line I will not hesitate to end you. Now, get some rest. I have business to attend to." Lanius said, infuriating Vulpes. The young man had always been the leader of his squad and was furious at being ordered around like some lackey. He swallowed his pride though, knowing that even with all of his skill, he stood no chance against Lanius.

The legate himself walked out of the camp and onto the road, heading towards the town of Primm. He had heard that the town was captured by powder gangers after their escape from the NCR Correctional Facility, or NCRCF for short. Now, while Lanius was a very ruthless man, he also believed in justice. The only times he really showed his ruthless side was when he was angry. Also, unlike the other members of the legion, he cared about the general population of the wastes, save for people like raiders.

About 10 minutes later, he had arrived at the town. He strolled in, not caring if the gang members saw him. Along the way, he saw a person hiding behind a wall.

The person was a female with long black hair tied in a ponytail and emerald-green eyes. She was about 5'6 and wore a blue and yellow jumpsuit with the number 21 emblazoned on the back. The woman was currently leaning her head around the corner, analyzing the situation. She then turned around and let out a shriek when she saw Lanius in front of her.

He was the tallest person she had ever seen, standing at over seven feet tall with heavy gauge steel armor that had a flowing black cloak attached to the back. He also wore a helmet with two horns on the sides with the left one missing half. On his back, he had an absolutely huge sword that looked like a cleaver which was almost as long as he was tall.

"Be silent girl!" Lanius yelled with a large armored hand over her mouth. It was too late though as the goons had heard them and had them surrounded. The legate sighed and grabbed his sword, intimidating the gang members with how easily he carried the blade with one hand. He then twirled it, creating large gusts of wind around him before swinging it horizontally, bisecting almost half of their men with one swipe. The leader cursed before pulling out his 9mm pistol and unloading the clip into the man's face. His effort proved futile when the bullets merely bounced off.

"Fool. Did you really think that puny weapon would be enough to stop me? Die for your insolence." Lanius said before decapitating the man, an expression of terror frozen on the head's features. The massive man then turned and faced what was left of the group who cowered under his gaze.

"Begone before I kill the rest of you! Let this be a message to your fellow gang members!" The legate yelled before the men ran away in fear. Sighing, he turned back around and addressed the now frozen girl.

"I am sorry that you had to see that. It was not my intention. Now, why are you here?" He questioned.

"I came here to grab something from the Mojave courier service's office in town." The girl responded a bit shakily. The man nodded and motioned for her to follow him. They then walked around, searching for the office before finding it with a dead body outside. The woman beside him kneeled nest to the body before pulling an unknown object from the dead man's pocket.

"Shit!" She swore as she read a note that had been in his pocket.

"What is it?" Lanius asked curiously while gazing over her shoulder which was not difficult given his size. The black-haired woman quickly hid the note and turned to face him.

"It's nothing. Don't worry." She said, receiving a nod from the legate.

"Alright. Well, I will be heading off now. It's been nice." He said as he walked off. The woman wanted to ask him his name but was unable to when she saw that the man had vanished somehow. Shrugging, she walked to the other side of the bridge, avoiding land mines that had been place there before walking into an NCR tent and collapsing onto the bed.

Meanwhile, Lanius was already almost back to his camp. _'I don't know why but I have a feeling I will be meeting that woman again.'_ He mused before noticing that he was back in his camp. Sighing, he walked into his tent and went to bed.

* * *

><p>The next day, Lanius was awakened by one of the lower ranking soldiers.<p>

"Sir, it's time." The soldier said before being dismissed by the legate. He sighed and stood up, feeling his muscles groan in protest. He then walked outside and saw that the soldiers were in a single file line with Vulpes in front.

"Alright men! It's time to burn this place to the ground and let the NCR know that the legion is here to stay! Glory to Caesar!" The young man shouted.

"Glory to Caesar!" The soldiers shouted before they charged the town. The people didn't stand a chance. The soldiers, Vulpes included, brutally slaughtered them like sheep, making sure their deaths were as painful as possible. Lanius himself surprisingly did not participate in the massacre, instead opting to watch from the sidelines.

Eventually, nearly everyone in the town was dead with a few being crucified on crosses lining the main road. They then stormed the town hall, killing the secretary before barging in to the mayor's office.

"What is the meaning of this!? We had a deal!" The mayor shouted in disbelief.

"Yes, we did. However, you won't live much longer so it won't matter pretty soon." Vulpes drawled in his sickly sweet voice. The soldiers picked the man up and carried him outside, forcing him to watch as the town slowly burned. They brought him to a large pit of tires. They threw him into the middle before Vulpes lit a match and threw it onto the tires which the mayor noticed were covered in flammable gas. He desperately tried to escape but wasn't able to before the match made contact with the tires, causing a mighty flame to roar up from the tires.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH" The mayor screamed in pain, his wails causing some to wince in sympathy. They watched as his body was consumed in flames, his flesh melting from the intense heat before even his bones were turned to ash. After the flames died out, Vulpes ordered his men back to the camp. Lanius was about to leave to check for survivors before the young man caught his attention.

"Sir, why don't you head back to camp? I can handle this. You deserve some rest after all." Vulpes said, getting a raised eyebrow from Lanius. The legate then shrugged before heading back to the camp.

_'Yes, go. Go to your doom!' _Vulpes thought to himself as he silently trailed behind Lanius.

A few seconds later, he had reached the camp. He frowned in confusion when he saw that the soldiers weren't there. He walked to his tent before he heard the sound of a ripper starting up behind him. He swiftly ducked under a stab that had been aimed at his head before slamming his massive arm through his attacker's chest. He noticed that the man was one of the higher ranking soldiers but had no more time to muse when he saw a man aiming his gun towards him. He vanished from his spot, confusing the attacker's in the shadows before appearing behind the man and ripping his head from his shoulders.

The rest of the forces appeared from the shadows but were quickly and easily dealt with by Lanius. When he killed the last man, he heard slow clapping coming from behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that it was Vulpes.

"Vulpes! What is the meaning of this!" He yelled angrily. "Caesar will have you crucified for this act of betrayal!"

"Oh you poor poor fool. Can't you see? This was organized by Lord Caesar himself. This was meant to be where you died." The young man drawled mockingly.

"You lie! Lord Caesar would do no such thing!"

"Oh, but he would. I even have the assassination order right here." Vulpes said as he held out a piece of paper to the now former legate. Scanning its contents, Lanius gave a deafening roar of anger before he raised his right arm and shoved it through Vulpes' chest, clutching his still beating heart before ripping it out. He saw the young man give a final mocking smirk before the life left his eyes.

Lanius was beside himself in unholy rage. He had done nothing but support Caesar and this was how he was repaid!? He had been his most loyal soldier, following all of his orders to the letter even though many of them contradicted with his beliefs, and was still stabbed in the back by the very man he looked up to!?

He went on a rampage, destroying everything in sight with his cleaver. Eventually, he managed to calm down._ 'I need to think about what to do next. I also need to plan my revenge._' He thought to himself after he had settled down. It was then that he noticed a figure appearing in his line of sight. He squinted before noticing that it was the woman from the night before. He sighed and again vanished from his position, silently appearing behind her.

"Whoa. What the hell happened here?" She said, more to herself than to anyone else.

"I don't know but whatever it was, it must have been horrible." She heard from behind her. She jumped and turned around, only to see the man who had helped her yesterday.

"Jesus Christ! Don't do that! You almost gave me a heart attack!" She yelled angrily.

"I apologize." Lanius responded.

"Anyway, do you know what happened to this place?" She asked after her heart had stopped beating at heart attack levels.

"No, I don't. I arrived here not long after you did." He lied. If he told her the truth, he knew she would not take it well.

"Damn. Oh well, I don't have much time to stay here. I have to get to Novac as soon as possible." She said before she started walking down the road, gazing around in disgust at the bodies that littered the streets. She nearly puked when she saw the bodies that had been disemboweled, their intestines spilling out onto the sidewalk.

Lanius followed behind her silently. He too was somewhat disgusted but hid it well. They reached the town limits before the woman turned to face him.

"Look, it's been nice but I have to get going. Unless you want to tag along?" She said. The former legate was hoping she would say that and hastily agreed. With that, they left, making idle chatter as they walked north.

"You know, you never told me your name." She said after a while.

"You didn't tell me yours either." Lanius pointed out.

"Well, let's fix that. The name's Viola. And you?"

"My name..." He trailed off before pulling off the helmet, revealing his heavily scarred face. He had blood-red hair which was rather long, with it reaching his shoulders. He had dark blue eyes along with six whisker like marks on his cheeks. He had three large scars with the first one being a long jagged cut across his forehead. He also had two scars which went from just above his left and right eye to his chin, miraculously missing his eyes.

"My name is Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And that's a wrap! This fic will have some similarities to my other Naruto/Fallout crossover but will be much different at the same time. Obviously, the main difference is that this one takes place in New Vegas instead of Fallout 3. Now you may be wondering why exactly I made Naruto so tall, well you see, in the game Legate Lanius is in fact the tallest character, being over seven feet tall. You can look it up on the Fallout wiki, it's true. ****Anyway, I hope you liked it and as always, be sure to leave a review telling me what you liked and disliked. Also, I'm almost done with another chapter of both The Shinobi of Los Santos and my Naruto/Victorious crossover so expect updates soon.**

**As always, I hope you enjoyed and be sure to leave a review telling me what you liked and disliked. It helps a lot so that I can make the story better.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello again everyone. It's me, back with another chapter of A Legate's Betrayal. It seems like people enjoyed the first chapter, although I am just guessing based on the fact that I only got four reviews. Anyway, you guys don't care about that right? You want the action to start right? So, I shall oblige.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fallout New Vegas or Naruto. They belong to Bethesa Games and Masashi Kishimoto respectively.**

* * *

><p><em>'How the hell did I get myself into this situation!?' <em>Viola thought to herself as she watched the sniper Boone attacking her new companion. They had arrived in Novac the day before and they stayed at the hotel that night. The next morning they had set out in search of information and had stumbled across Boone, a sniper that worked inside the large dinosaur's mouth at night in order to take care of any undesirables coming towards Novac. He had seemed like a pleasant person at first but that was thrown out the window when she introduced him to Naruto. He immediately went nuts and started attacking him.

"Die you legion dog!" Boone yelled as he attempted to shove his combat knife through Naruto's chest. Instead of hitting his target, he only felt air before he was knocked onto his back by the large man.

"Why are you attacking me!? I have done nothing to you!" Naruto yelled in confusion.

"You know what you've done! You and that bastard Caesar took my wife!" Boone roared in rage as he tried to struggle out of the redhead's grip. His efforts proved futile when Naruto applied more strength to his grip. He slumped in defeat and looked into Naruto's eyes defiantly.

"Look, I don't know what you mean. I was part of the legion but I didn't participate in the kidnappings. Now, explain why exactly you are attacking me." Naruto stated calmly as he easily restrained Boone.

"The legion kidnapped my wife! You took her from me!" He yelled before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a slip of paper. Naruto read it, it was the standard paper that people recieved when they sold someone. The name of the person caught his attention. Carla Boone.

Flashback: Eight years before. Naruto's age: 20

* * *

><p><em>A much younger Naruto Uzumaki stood in his full armor silently at the front gates of Cottonwood Cove. He had heard that there was a new batch of slaves coming in and was for some reason compelled to see them. A few minutes later, a group of about 15 people: 10 slaves and 5 soldiers. They then walked up the hill where the commanding officer, a young man of vexillarius rank, greeted him.<em>

_"Hello Legate. Sir, if I may ask, why are you here? You have never participated in the slave trade before." The young man asked curiously. It was true, Naruto had never participated in the trading of slaves before, he even seemed disgusted by it. He believed it made the legion weak. He also disliked it for moral reasons._

_"I just wanted to observe the new slaves to see if any of them are to my liking." He lied as he gazed at the crestfallen faces of the slaves. One of them stood out to him. _

_She was a beautiful woman of about 22 with short blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She was rather tall for a woman, standing at 5'11. She had a slight bulge to her stomach, indicating that she was at least a few months pregnant. _

_"I see one that I like. I want the pregnant woman." He requested. While he despised slavery as a whole, he especially hated when they not only sold a woman into slavery but also doomed an unborn baby to a life of misery and hardships._

_"But sir, lord Caesar has requested that she be sold immediately." The soldier responded. The legate seemed to grow angry, something that no one wanted to see._

_"Are you questioning me? Must I remind you that I hold the most authority of anyone in the legion save for lord Caesar himself? Now, unless you want me to remove your tongue, you will hand over the woman." He threatened, using his rank as leverage. The soldier quickly obliged, handing over the woman to Naruto._

_"Come on, let's get going." The legate demanded with the woman obeying. They then walked to his tent, ignoring the stares from legionnaires and slaves alike. A few minutes later, they had arrived at his war tent._

_"What is your name?" Naruto asked. The woman seemed reluctant but told him anyway._

_"Carla Boone." She stated with fear leaking into her voice. The legate nodded before removing the explosive collar around her neck. She rubbed the spot where it had been before starting to back away, fearful of what the man may do to her._

_"Please do not be afraid. I merely wish to help you." He said soothingly. _

_Carla was shocked. She had heard stories of Legate Lanius. They called him "The demon of the east", a man that was said to have sold his soul to the devil with the power to destroy armies with ease. _

_"Why? Why are you helping me?" The legate had never actively helped any slaves before, despite his dislike of the trade. She heard the large man give a heavy sigh of self loathing before he responded._

_"I don't know myself. I guess I just got tired of sitting back as people were doomed to a fate I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemies." The legate said. From that day on, Carla lived with the legate, away from the misery of a slave's life._

_About six months later, she went into labor. After almost a full day of labor, her baby son was born. She named him Craig after his father, Craig Boone. The boy grew up happily with plenty of love from both Carla and his father figure, Naruto._

_"I don't know how I could possibly thank you for all that you've done for us Naruto." She had told him a few months after Craig was born. She smiled as she observed him sleeping peacefully in his crib._

_"You don't need to thank me Carla. It was the least I could do." He responded a bit sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head with his hand, a gesture that he only made while around her. She giggled at seeing the normally silent and stoic man lose his composure._

_"Oh, but I insist. What can I do for you? I'll do... anything." She said with a hint of seduction at the end as her fingers traced his chest. He shuddered a bit in pleasure at her touch before jumoing back and vigorously shaking his head. The woman was a bit dissapointed at this. Over the months she had spent with him, she had fallen in love with him. She still held love for her husband but Naruto had been there for her when she was at her lowest point._

_"N-No t-that won't be necessary!" He yelled in embarassment with a bit of a stutter. He then saw the sad look on her face and frowned. "Look, I'm sorry Carla but you have a husband and a son. Once I find your husband, I will return you to him. I don't want to ruin the relationship that you had." He said apologetically. He knew that Carla was a beautiful woman that a man would kill to have but he didn't want to ruin her marriage once he found her husband._

_"I see. Thank you Naruto. It's just been so long since I've felt loved. Do you think you can do it, just for one night?" She asked hopefully. She heard Naruto sigh before nodding._

_"Alright, but just one night." He said. For the rest of the night, howls of pleasure could be heard from the legate's war tent. The soldiers wanted to see what was going on but didn't in fear of what the legate might do to them if they interrupt._

_The next morning, Carla woke up with a shit eating grin as she thought of the night before. She got up and walked to the kitchen to fix breakfast with a limp._

_Timeskip, about four years later._

_"Daddy, daddy! Tell me a story about the legion!" Craig, now four years old, yelled excitedly as he gazed up at his father figure. __Naruto sighed before sitting down in a chair and gesturing the four year old to sit in his lap, which the boy did eagerly._

_"Now, this story is about a man named Joshua Graham, or as you know him as, the burned man." Naruto started. The young boy looked a bit confused before voicing it._

_"But daddy, isn't he a bad man?" Craig asked. Naruto chuckled a bit before answering._

_"No son. That's only what the other people want you to think. He was actually a very nice man. I looked up to him like the father I never had." He said with a bit of nostalgia at the end._

_"That's so cool! Tell me about him!" The boy in his lap demanded. The redhead chuckled again before starting his story._

_Flashback within a flashback! Naruto's age: 6_

_A much, much younger Naruto Uzumaki ducked under a swipe from his father figure before retaliating with a punch, only for his hand to be caught._

_"That was good Naruto, but not good enough. Again!" Joshua Graham barked. He had been training Naruto since he was five, a standard among the legion. The children were forced into battle early to harden them for life._

_Joshua was a rather tall man, being 6'4 with short black hair. He wore a black vest over a white long sleeved undershirt along with black pants and a set of black combat boots. He was a man that rarely took interest in anything so it was odd that he was the one who volunteered to train Naruto. No one dared question him though due to his rank as legate._

_A few hours later, we find Naruto and Joshua sitting on a cliffside overlooking the Colorado river. Naruto currently looked exhausted from his training which was understandable due to how the legate was. The young redhead wasn't complaining though, he knew he was getting stronger and was grateful for it. The then legate looked amused as he gazed at his surrogate son._

_"Naruto, do you know what tomorrow is?" The man asked after he had sat down next to Naruto. The boy looked as if he was thinking before answering._

_"Tomorrow's when we take Hoover Dam! Do you think they'll let me fight?" He asked eagerly. He knew that his father figure was leading the attack and wanted desperately to fight beside him. He heard Joshua chuckle before he ruffled his hair, angering the boy which only served to amuse the legate more._

_"Yes, tomorrow we take the dam. It will be an important day not just for you and me but for the entire legion. I just wanted to warn you that I may not come back." The man said. Naruto looked shocked before shaking his head,_

_"But you're the strongest! There's no way they can kill you!" He yelled in denial._

_"Naruto." Joshua said sternly, silencing the young redhead. "No one in this world is invincible. Everyone can and will die at some point. When that happens, you need to be prepared. I'm sorry to have to tell you this Naruto." He said with sadness at the end._

_"It's alright... dad." Naruto responded._

_"Thank you...son." Joshua said with a smile, something he rarley showed to other people. They stayed there for a while, talking about insignificant things. About two hours later, they went their seperate ways._

_Little did Naruto know that it would be the last time he saw his father figure alive again._

_Flashback within a flashack end._

_Naruto was so absorbed in his memories that he didn't notice Craig had fallen asleep in his lap. Chuckling, he picked the boy up and set him in his bed. What he didn't notice was the mirth filled eyes of Carla Boone who had heard everything. The woman then walked away before heading to bed with Naruto joining her._

_Flashback end._

* * *

><p>"-ruto! Naruto!" the redhead heard, snapping him out of his flashback. He looked up questioningly and saw Viola gazing at him in a little anger. He then looked down and noticed that he had not yet let go of Boone. Sighing, he released the man, allowing him to stand up.<p>

"Finally! I've been trying to get your attention for five minutes now! Can you explain to me just what the hell is going on!?" the raven haired woman yelled in confusion.

Naruto sighed before responding. "There are a lot of things that you don't know about me. I don't trust you enough to tell you now but I may in the future." Viola was a bit angry that he woudn't tell her but nodded in understanding.

"Boone." Naruto called, getting the sniper's attention.

"What do you want _demon._" He said, getting a wince from Naruto at the venom in his tone.

"I know where your wife is." the redhead said. Boone seemed to grow even angrier, if that was possible.

"Don't you dare lie to me! I've given up on finding her a long time ago!" The man yelled with his hunting rifle now aimed at Naruto who raised his hands defensively.

"I'm not lying to you, I swear! Look, I'll be right back, do not move from this spot." He said before vanishing, confusing the hell out of Boone.

"Umm, how the hell did he just do that?" Boone asked Viola.

"I have no idea. I've only seen him do it a few times against raiders we fought on the way here." She responded with a shrug.

Elsewhere, Naruto's former war tent.

"Carla! Carla! Where are you!?" Naruto called frantically as he searched his tent.

"What is it Naruto? What's gotten you so worked up?" The woman asked, confused.

"A few things. First, where's Craig? He needs to be here to hear this." He asked. Carla shrugged and called for the boy. A few seconds later, the now 8 year old boy walked into the room and stood next to his mother.

"What is it, father?" The young boy asked curiously. He had never seen his father figure so worked up before.

"The first thing I need to tell you is that Caesar betrayed me." He said. Both Carla and Craig looked shocked but quickly regained control of themselves.

"And?" Carla asked.

"I've found your husband." Naruto said with a sigh. Carla and a Craig were now shocked beyond belief.

"My husband? Where?" She asked.

"Novac. He's been working there as a sharpshooter since your kidnapping. We'll leave soon, I just have to grab a few things and then we'll leave." He said, receiving nods from them. He walked deeper into his tent before walking into a rather large room and turning on the light. When the light turned on, he saw his vast collection of weapons and got to work. He took off the chestpiece of his armor, showing his tattoed bare chest. He sighed before walking up to one shelf before pulling off an Anti-Material rifle. He tapped one of his tattoos on his chest which glowed before sucking in the giant rifle. He repeated this a few times, grabbing all of the weapons that he thought were necessary before walking back to Carla and Craig. He put his hands on their shoulders before they all vanished. Little did Carla and Craig know, Naruto had left a little... surprise for the next people to walk into his tent. The exploding kind.

Back with Boone and Viola

Boone was starting to get tired of waiting. He was about to walk away before he saw someone he never thought he would see again appear in front of him.

"C-Carla?" He stuttered in disbelief. The woman nodded and moved closer to him.

"It's me Boone." She said before the man swept her up in a bone crushing hug.

"Carla! I thought I'd never see you again!" Boone shouted, overjoyed at having his wife back. He then set her down and noticed the little boy who had walked up to them.

"Carla? Who's this?" He asked.

"Boone, this is our son, Craig. I named him after you. He was born a few months after I was kidnapped." She explained. Boone was stunned. He knew that Carla was pregnant but he figured that their son was either dead or a slave. He bent down and hugged the boy close. After about a minute, he let him go. He then stood back up and addressed Carla.

"Who saved you? I need to know so I can thank him." He asked. Carla shook her head and pointed towards Naruto.

"It was him. He saved me. When I was first brought to Cottonwood Cove, he took me in. He also helped deliver Craig and helped raise him for the first eight years of his life. I owe him everything." She said sincerely. Boone right now was feeling like an idiot. The very man who he had tried to kill was the man who saved his wife and his son.

He walked over to Naruto and stuck his hand out.

"I'm sorry. I've had a grudge against the legion ever since Carla was kidnapped. I just took out my pent up rage and frustration on you. Do you think we could be friends?" He asked a bit hopefully. Naruto smiled and shook his hand.

"No problem. To be honest, I would have reacted the same way you did if I was in the same situation." Naruto said, brushing off the apology. Boone grinned and turned back to his now reunited family.

"Alright, let's get home." He said, receiving nods before they walked off but not before giving Naruto one last grateful glance.

"Well, that was nice." Naruto said with a smile towards Viola.

"I guess it was, even though I had no fucking clue what was going on." She responded with a shrug. Naruto laughed and started walking up the stairs to the hotel room that they shared with Viola not far behind him.

They walked in and both laid down on their beds before falling asleep,Viola with thoughts of her companion on her mind and Naruto with thoughts of the reunited family on his mind.

'_Today was a very...eventful day.' _Was the last thought that crossed Naruto's mind before he drifted into dreamland.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And that's the end of chapter two! There wasn't much action in this chapter, mainly just a little bit of background information for the sake of character development. In this chapter, we see a bit more of Naruto's outlook on things, along with a twist to the main story. Boone was my favorite companion in New Vegas and I thought it would be interesting if I kept his wife and their child alive. Also, what did you think about Joshua Graham being Naruto's father figure? The idea came randomly while I was typing the flashback. **

**Anyway, as always, I hope you enjoyed and be sure to leave nice long reviews telling me what you liked and disliked about the story. It helps me more than you know!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hello again everyone. It's me, back with yet another chapter of A Legate's Betrayal. In the last chapter, I made a mistake. In the flashback, I said that the last time Naruto saw Joshua alive was the day before the battle at the dam. I'm going to go back and change that as I wanted Naruto to be present when Joshua was thrown into the Grand Canyon. I'm happy to see that people liked the last chapter as I wasn't really confident about it because of the long flashback. Also, someone asked me about how Naruto can use chakra. I don't know if how I explain it will be good enough for you but I shall do my best. Naruto won't really be using chakra much, as I want to capture more of the Fallout feel with the guns and melee weapons. Anyway, Let chapter 3 commence!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fallout or Naruto. They belong to Bethesda Games and Masashi Kishimoto respectively.**

* * *

><p><em>The fateful time had arrived. The battle for Hoover Dam had begun. The legionnaires led by Joshua Graham carved a bloody swath as they took the dam, completely overwhelming even the best NCR officers. Back in the legate's war camp where Naruto stayed, we find the young redhead brooding as he was forced out of the battle.<em>

_'Dammit! I can fight too!' He thought to himself angrily. He tried to escape to join the battle but was stopped by legionnaires that were stationed at the camp. The boy wasn't happy but reluctantly sat back, watching the occasional soldier get called into the battle, wishing that he could take their place._

_On the battlefield, the Legion had actually succeeded in forcing the NCR to retreat from the dam, forcing them into the town of Boulder not far from them. As the soldiers celebrated their victory, Joshua was thinking over the situation in his head._

_'There's no way they would retreat like that. The NCR has always been stubborn, fighting until the bitter end so why have they retreated so early. Maybe it's a trap? No, they wouldn't have enough time to set up a proper one. Regardless, we need to get rid of them permanently.' The legate pondered._

_"Alright men, let's rid this world of the bear once and for all!" He shouted with his soldiers roaring in approval before charging down the road to Boulder. They had no idea of the hell that was awaiting them._

_After about 5 minutes, the soldiers saw Boulder in their line of sight, motivating them even more. As they continued to charge forward, many of the higher ranking officers including ten centurions were picked off, most likely by the first recon snipers. Joshua hung back, analyzing the situation while also dodging bullets that had been aimed at him._

_'This must be their last stand. Those damnable first recon snipers have taken down most of my high-ranking men but it will be all for naught.' The young legate thought to himself. By this point, even more of his men had fallen. However, they had also reached the center of the town._

_"Come on out you NCR dogs! We promise to make your deaths as quick as possible!" The last remaining centurion shouted, eager to spill more blood. Joshua facepalmed at the man's stupidity before noticing something...beeping?_

_'Wait a second. That's...C4! Shit!' The legate yelled in thought. He looked around more, realizing that the plastic explosives were everywhere. The amount that was placed all around was more than enough to destroy the entire town. He was about to warn everyone but it was too late. The C4 charges in the front of them exploded first, instantly killing the soldiers unlucky enough to be at the front, including the centurion. The rest of the army realized what was going on and quickly turned to run. The rest of the explosives then started going off, killing the men who were at the back. Eventually, Joshua along with about 30 of his soldiers had made it out of the city. The young legate turned around and gazed at the smoking crater that had once been a town before sighing and leading his remaining men back to Cottonwood Cove, knowing that his punishment would not be good._

_When they got back, the legionaries at the front gate noticed their defeated looks and feared the worst. They let them in, where Naruto was waiting for them._

_"Hey dad! How did the battle go? We won right?" The little boy asked as he looked up to his father figure. He saw the look on his father's face and was immediately on guard._

_"No, Naruto, we didn't. Now, I have to speak with lord Caesar." The legate said, ignoring the stunned look on the young redhead's face. He had always thought that Joshua was invincible and could never lose but he was proven wrong._

_Meanwhile, at Caesar's tent, Joshua had arrived at his leader's tent. He braced himself for what he knew was about to happen before opening the flaps and walking in, seeing that Caesar was sitting straight in his throne, something he rarely did unless he was fully focused on something or someone. Noticing the legate, he immediately addressed him,eager to hear the news of their victory._

_"Joshua, report! I need to know the details of our victory." The leader barked. Joshua heaved a weary sigh before responding._

_"Sir, I regret to inform you of this but, we lost." Caesar's mood shifted dramatically from eagerness to boiling anger._

_"I'm sorry legate, I think I misheard you. Did you, my most trusted soldier, just tell me that you failed in our most important battle!?" He questioned in a deadly tone._

_"Yes, lord Caesar, I did. We failed because of my own incompetence. I accept any punishment you see fit." He said in a voice that showed that he had resigned to his fate. He knew the punishment for failure, especially at such an important time._

_"Guards, grab this failure and load him into the carts. Also, bring along young Naruto. I want him to see first hand the penalty for failure." He ordered his praetorian guard who nodded before grabbing Joshua and dragging him to the brahmin drawn carts. One of the guards then went and grabbed Naruto who was confused. The guard set him down into one of the carts, sitting right across from his father figure._

_"Dad, what's going on? Where are we going?" The young redhead asked, thoroughly confused at what was going on. He heard his surrogate father sigh,something that he had been doing a lot today, before answering._

_"The Grand Canyon. I cannot tell you why. You will know when we get there." That only served to confuse Naruto even more. The Grand Canyon was a rather large distance away from their base so he wondered why on Earth they would go there. He managed to hold in his numerous questions, spending the rest of the week-long ride in awkward silence._

_Eventually, the time had come. They had reached their destination, a cliff overlooking the deepest part of the massive canyon. The guards opened the doors to their cart and roughly grabbed Joshua and Naruto before carrying Joshua near the edge and setting Naruto down nearby. Caesar, who had been waiting with a grin, started coating Joshua in pitch before lighting a match._

_"Any last words before you are baptised in fire, failure?" Caesar asked mockingly. Naruto, hearing that sentence, was alarmed. He tried to help his father in all but blood but was held back by the praetorian guard._

_"Why!? Why are you doing this!? Joshua was your most loyal soldier and this is how you repay him!?" The young redhead roared in anger. Caesar merely looked amused before answering._

_"This is the penalty for failure, Naruto. Now watch as your precious father burns!" He shouted before tossing the match onto the now former legate._

_"I love you, Naruto." Joshua spoke with tears welling up in his eyes. Naruto struggled even more against the grip of the guards, managing to break free in a surprising show of strength for a six-year-old. He ran as fast as he could to save Joshua but was too late. The pitch violently reacted to the fire, resulting in a massive fire which covered the legate's form. Despite the no doubt immense pain from being set on fire, the man didn't even flinch. Naruto was almost to him before he was forced to watch as Caesar kicked him into the canyon._

_"FATHER!" Naruto screamed as he watched the burning form of Joshua Graham plummet into the canyon. At the moment, he felt absolutely worthless. He had been training for as long as he could walk to get stronger in order to protect those precious to him, only to be totally helpless as his most treasured person burned._

_He also felt great, unholy rage. It bubbled under his skin, sending waves of white-hot anger through his entire being before his rage exploded. Tendrils of deep red foul energy surrounded him, hiding him from their sight completely. The guards were now scared shitless of the demonic energy the boy was filled the air, threatening to crush them under its pressure. Caesar was faring no better. He had almost been forced to his knees under the demonic presence but managed to stay upright, although if any more was forced upon him, he would immediately fall._

_Just then, the cloak that had enshrouded him parted, allowing them to see Naruto. Although, the boy had gone through some... changes. His red hair had darkened considerably with it now being a dark scarlet shade. It had also lengthened, reaching all the way to his waist. His canines had grown to the point where they poked out from his lips, showing the now razor-sharp teeth. His whisker marks had darkened as well and appeared to be jagged gaps in his face instead of the thin black lines they usually were._

_The pressure suddenly doubled, sending the guards and Caesar to the ground under the sheer strength of it. It was so strong, they could actually feel their bones cracking and their muscles groaning._

_The young redhead clutched his head and roared to the sky, causing the very canyon beneath them to violently shake. After he had finished, he looked back down and opened his eyes which had been closed until now, revealing deep red eyes with slits for pupils instead of his normal blue eyes._

_"**Die! Suffer for what you've done!" **He roared, his voice now being much deeper and demonic. The crimson tendrils rose from behind him and he stuck out his right hand in the direction of the guards as if silently commanding the tendrils. They obeyed. They rushed towards the soldiers who could only watch as their doom approached. The tendrils lifted them off the ground, suspending them in mid-air. The transformed boy made a gesture with his hands as if ripping something in half. The tendrils mirrored him, violently tearing the soldiers to shreds, their blood drizzling down like rain on Naruto and the now petrified Caesar._

_"**Now, for you.'** The still possessed boy said before sticking his hand out towards Caesar. However, before the tendrils could pierce the leader, he felt fatigue hit him like a freight train without lights. Or brakes._

_'Not now! Why now, I'm so close!' Was the boy's last thought. _

_And then, the world went black._

* * *

><p>Naruto screamed as he jolted upright in his bed, startling Viola awake. He wiped his forehead, feeling cold sweat on his hand.<p>

"What's going on!? What's wrong!?" Viola yelled frantically as she brandished her 9mm, searching for threats. Naruto put his hand on his chest and waited for his rapid heartbeat to slow back down, which it did. He sighed and got up, facing Viola. What he forgot was that he did not wear a shirt to bed, allowing his companion an eyeful of his sculpted chest. She flushed a bit before forcing it down.

"Why the hell were you screaming? I think you woke up half of the town with that!" She exclaimed angrily.

"I'm sorry about that. Just some... unpleasant memories." He said which made the courier curious.

"Memories? Of what?"

"Nothing. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to take a cold shower." He said, waving off her question. About 15 minutes later, he stepped out and put on his armor, minus the helmet, which he stored away for later use. He glanced at the analog clock which read 7:45 AM. Sighing, he addressed Viola, who he noticed was now fully dressed.

"You ready to get going?" He asked, receiving a nod from the raven-haired woman. After making one last stop at the Boone family home, they set off on the road towards New Vegas. Along the way, they fought various raiders with Viola picking up a set of leather armor off of a dead female viper.

Eventually, they reached the outskirts of New Vegas where they saw a building that peaked their curiosity. Along the grounds, various (I think that's what they are called. Correct me if I'm wrong.) roamed about, presumably guarding the building.

The building itself was nothing special. It had the normal design of a pre-war office building but the name on the sign caught their attention. It read "Repconn Headquarters".

You see, Repconn was a pre-war company that specialized in manufacturing rockets for the U.S government. Naruto was intrigued by it, he had always been fascinated with space but was unable to do anything about it since the technology to explore space didn't survive the war. Viola was also interested but her reasoning was that a company would have advanced technology to loot, maybe even a few energy weapons that she could use.

Regardless of the reasoning behind it, they entered the building before gazing around. On the floor to their right, they saw three dead raiders around a door with a terminal next to it.

'_Looks like they were killed trying to get into this door. But by what?' _He asked himself before his question was answered by the arrival of a maintenance robot.

"Welcome to Repconn Headquarters rocketeer! Come all this way to see our little facility have you?" The robot asked. It had probably been the tour guide before the war and was stuck in here ever since.

"Yes, we would like to take the tour." Viola told the machine, cutting to the chase.

"Follow me then rocketeer!" The robot exclaimed before hovering into the next room with Naruto and Viola following. The tour guide explained various exhibits before they ended up at the planetarium. The robot unlocked the door before talking some more and floating off.

"I guess this is the end of the tour." Naruto commented as he observed the different models of the planets. The place creeped him out due to the weird music that only played in that room. Viola shrugged before walking out of the room with Naruto following.

"Well, that was disappointing." Viola said before Naruto remembered something.

"Hey, Viola, do you remember that door the raiders died at when we first got in?" He asked with Viola nodding in confirmation.

"Yeah, what about it? I can't hack terminals so I ignored it. Why, can you hack it?" She inquired. Naruto didn't say anything but led her to the door. He bent down to turn the terminal on, seeing as how it was rather low to the ground, at least to him. When the terminal turned on, it went to a screen filled with various symbols and words. He randomly selected one and saw that three out of four letters were right. He then selected another word which was correct, causing the door to unlock with a click.

"Alright, now let's see what's inside." Naruto said while rubbing his hands together eagerly. Viola shook her ead at his antics but walked in after him. To their right was another locked door, though it didn't have a terminal and further down the hallway was a large steel door which had a terminal near it.

"I think the main prize is behind that door." Naruto said as he pointed towards the large steel then walked up to the terminal and repeated the process he did with the last one, although he barely managed to unlock the door due to the fact that the password was seven letters instead of four. The door unlocked and Naruto turned the handle with the door creaking from disuse. The door then opened, exposing the contents of the room.

Viola walked to their left where a gun that looked like a plasma rifle was laying along with some microfusion cells. She picked the weapon up and inspected it before finding a label on the stock.

"Q-35 Matter Modulator? Sounds cool, I'm keeping this." She said before strapping it onto her back. "Hey, Naruto, did you find anything?"

"Not really, just a bunch of microfusion cells." He responded with a shrug, Seeing the weapon on her back, he handed her the ammunition, knowing that plasma rifles generally used them.

After that, seeing as there wasn't really anything of interest left in the room, they stepped out, shielding their eyes from the bright sunlight. They then took off towards New Vegas again, eager to get there so they could rest.

Eventually they made it to the eastern gate and walked in, ignoring the people who tried to coerce them into hiring them as bodyguards. They then stepped through a sliding door of a ruined bus before spotting the gates to New Vegas at the end of the road. They increased their pace, making it to the gates within a few minutes.

"Halt. Before you may enter the strip, you must both pass a 2,000 cap credit check." One of the robots, a large securitron with the face of a police officer programmed onto its screen, ordered.

Viola swore under her breath. She didn't have that kind of money! At most she had about 700 caps on her. Thankfully Naruto stepped in.

"Alright, here you go." The redhead spoke as he held 4,000 caps out to the robot who seemed to nod.

"Alright, you may enter the strip. Enjoy your visit to New Vegas!" The securitron said before backing away to let them by.

"Thanks Naruto." She said gratefully which he waved off.

"No problem. Now where do we need to go?" He asked once they had entered the strip. Naruto looked around in wonder, he had never been to the strip but had always wanted to go. To his right was a casino called Gomorrah which seemed to attract the more sleazy types based on the strippers on the streets outside.

"A place called the Lucky 38." She responded. Naruto then pointed to a casino on his left.

"You mean that place?" He asked. Viola turned around and looked up. Sure enough, the sign read Lucky 38.

"Yep. Come on, let's go." She said with her redheaded companion nodding. They walked up the flashing stairs before spotting a securitron near the entrance. This one was different from the others on the strip because instead of a police officer's face, it had the face of an old west cowboy on its screen.

"Victor? Is that you?" Viola asked, recognizing the face from Goodsprings.

"Well howdy partner!" The robot greeted in a fake southern accent. "The boss is waiting for you in the penthouse. Also, your friend here's gonna have to wait here. The boss doesn't want anyone but you inside." Viola glanced at Naruto, silently asking if he would wait. He nodded and she walked in with the large metal doors closing behind her.

'_I've got a bad feeling about this.' _The redhead thought to himself. Something just seemed off about the place, though he didn't know exactly what it was. He had the odd feeling that he would be seeing Caesar soon though.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And there's chapter three! I don't really know how to feel about this chapter. I like the beginning but not the end. I also didn't have a good place in mind to end it at. I really wanted to get this done by tomorrow, which I did. I'm sorry that I have been focusing so much on just this story recently but I'm in a Fallout mood right now. I hope you enjoyed the dream of when Joshua was "killed". Next chapter will be meeting among other things. Another thing I want to say is that this fic will include all of the DLC's. I honestly can't wait to write Honest Hearts and Lonesome Road. The meetings with Joshua and Ulysses will be... interesting with the addition of Naruto.**

**As always, I hope you enjoyed and be sure to leave me some nice long reviews telling me what you like and disliked about this chapter. It helps me out a lot more than you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello again everyone. I'm glad everyone seemed to enjoy the last chapter. I just wanted to make one thing clear from a review I received. Joshua is NOT Naruto's father. He is only a father figure. Also, another reviewer has told me that I am rushing the story. If I am, I apologize. Also, some news for anyone who might be interested, I am currently looking for a beta reader. I just need someone to help with the normal errors I make (spelling, grammar, accidentally deleting words, etc). They also need to be someone who can assist me with writing lemons in the future. I don't have very much experience writing them and help would be greatly appreciated. If you are interested, send me a PM. Anyway, let chapter 4 begin!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fallout or Naruto. They belong to Bethesda Games and Masashi Kishimoto respectively.**

* * *

><p>It had been two hours since Viola had entered the Lucky 38, and Naruto's boredom was reaching critical levels. It didn't help that the only thing keeping him company was Victor who was getting very annoying. Just as he was about to explode, he heard the massive doors opening. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Viola walking towards him.<p>

"So, how did it go?" Naruto asked as they descended the steps, ignoring the dumbfounded looks from the people on the street. After all, Viola and Naruto were the first ones since the war to actually be allowed into the Lucky 38.

"It was fine. That guy was pretty creepy though. He didn't talk to me face to face, but through a monitor." She said with a shrug.

"What did you guys talk about?" Naruto asked as they walked through a gate into the next part of the strip.

"Well, he gave me a thousand caps for that 'package'."She said. A little after they had left Novac, she had told him of her old job as a courier along with the package she was to deliver before she was shot in the head and left for dead. The package was a large poker chip made entirely out of platinum. She didn't know the purpose behind it,but accepted the job as the pay was good. "He also wants me to go to some place called Cottonwood Cove. Apparently there's an old bunker there where I need to insert the chip."

'_What!? Damn you intuition! But, a bunker? The only one I remember was that one at the fort under the weather station. Then again, the doors had the same symbol as that casino.' _The redhead thought to himself before noticing that Viola was calling his name.

"Yeah? What is it?" He asked. Viola didn't say anything but instead pointed directly in front of them. Confused, Naruto turned his head and saw that they had reached their destination, The Tops. He grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head.

"Oh. Sorry, I was just thinking about something." Viola merely shook her head and entered with Naruto following her.

"Whoa there girly. You're gonna have to hand over that gun on your back if you want in." The guard told her while gesturing towards her weapon. She sighed and removed it before giving it to the man who put it away.

"You too big guy." He said, making grabbing motions with his hands. Naruto was confused by this as he thought that he had sealed all of his weapons out of sight. It was then that he realized his cleaver which was still on his back. He had actually forgotten about it. He grabbed it and handed it to the man who, upon grabbing it, crashed to the ground. He had severely underestimated the weapon's weight and paid for it. He was sent to the ground, the cleaver pinning his hands down.

Naruto was inwardly laughing his ass off at the guard's expense. He then bent down and picked up the blade before setting it on the desk, with the wood cracking under its mass. The redhead along with Viola then walked into the main area of the casino, looking around in hopes of spotting the checkered suit that marked Benny's presence.

When they saw nothing, they headed to the cashier to get some chips. After all, they were in New Vegas, it wouldn't feel right to leave without gambling. Viola only got fifty chips while Naruto got a thousand. Viola raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why did you get so many? We're not going to be here long." She asked.

"Trust me, I won't need very much time." He said with a devilish smirk. Viola shrugged and went to the slots while Naruto went straight to the Blackjack tables.

"How much you wanna bet?" The dealer questioned. Naruto removed 200 chips from his stack and pushed the rest of to the side. The dealer then passed the cards around. Once he had received his cards, Naruto noticed that he had 4.

"Hit me." He said with the dealer passing him another card which was a seven, giving him a total of 11. He asked for another card which was a ten, adding up to a perfect 21.

"I win." He said with a grin as the dealer gave him his earnings. This continued for a few hours with Viola joining them after a while. She watched in astonishment as Naruto never lost a game he played, be it Blackjack, Roulette, or the slot machines.

After a while, Naruto had cashed in his chips, which came out to over 100,000 caps. The cashier was angry at having to hand over so much money but did so anyway.

"Remind me to always bring you gambling with me." Viola said as she gazed at the bags of money in his hands which were nearly bursting at the seams.

"Sure. Anyway, shouldn't we be looking for Benny?" He asked with Viola slapping herself for forgetting their main objective.

"Dammit! I completely forgot about that." She said exasperatedly. Naruto then sealed away the caps into one of his tattoos before noticing an elevator door open on the other side of the casino. Out of it walked Benny. Naruto grinned and motioned for Viola.

Once they had reached him, Viola tapped him on the shoulder from behind. Benny glanced over his shoulder curiously before seeing just who was there. He quickly turned around and faced Viola with a very nervous look on his face.

"What in the goddamn?" He said, more to himself than Viola or Naruto."Let's keep this in the groove, hey? Smooth moves, like smooth little babies."

"Looks like you need to work on your marksmanship." The courier remarked with a smirk.

"I hit what I was aiming at. Guess you just had brains to spare. Or are you just thick skulled? Either way baby, this is great. Maybe now I can finally sleep at night knowing that you didn't die." He lied smoothly."Hey, what say you and me cash out, go somewheres more private like? Any questions you got, I'll answer."

"What'd you have in mind?" Viola asked. Benny seemed relieved which Naruto noticed.

"To start I'll comp you the presidential - best suite in the house. You deserve a taste of the VIP lifestyle. I'll stay down here to make everything look business-as-usual, then I'll come up to you. You can even bring your buddy there along." He finished, pointing at Naruto at the end. Viola was about to accept when her companion stepped in.

"Look, I know that this is a trap. When we go up there, you're just going to run off. We want answers _now!_" The redhead demanded, murderous intent flowing from him in waves. Benny felt it the most as it was directed at him. He saw multiple images of his death, ranging from torture, to disembowelment, to decapitation. He held in the urge to vomit and managed to shakily respond.

"A-Alright I-I'll do whatever you want. Just stay cool man. Here, follow me. I'll take us to my personal suite." He said with his face now being ghostly white. He turned around and motioned them to follow him, which they did. Naruto smirked at Viola who grinned back

Benny led them to an elevator near the back of the casino which they entered. They stepped out and entered Benny's room, a rather large suite that fit his position. He sat on a stool in his personal bar area with Viola sitting down next to him. Naruto instead took out a piece of paper from his pocket and put it onto the wall. He then made a strange sign with his hands with the room glowing blue for a split second. While he was doing this, Benny and Viola were having their own conversation and so didn't notice him.

"Why did you want the chip?" Viola asked.

"Can't tell you baby. Suffice it to say, that chip you're carrying is special. I need it for some plans of mine. Which reminds me... guards!" He yelled. When he recieved no response, he tried again but no one answered.

"I knew you would pull something like this so I set up some countermeasures. No one can hear what's happening in this room. This is the end for you, Benny." Naruto said. Benny swore and pulled out his custom 9mm pistol but wasn't able to fire as Naruto appeared next to him and ripped it out of his hands before forcing him to kneel on the ground. The redhead tossed the gun to Viola, who caught it.

"From where you're kneeling this must look like an 18 carat run of bad luck. Truth is, the game was rigged from the start." She said, repeating the words that he had said to her that night.

"Give it your best shot. I swear to God, if you miss-" Benny was cut off by a bullet in his head. He slumped over, dead, with his guards outside being none the wiser.

"Thanks for the advice." She said with a smirk. She tossed the gun back to Naruto, who decided to keep it. Viola kneeled down and searched Benny's pockets, hoping to find useful information. Instead, she only found a key to something. She tucked it away before standing back up and walking over to Naruto, but not before giving Benny's body one last kick.

"We should search his suite. There may be something interesting in here." Naruto said, recieving a nod from his companion. They searched the room thouroughly but didn't find anything. It was then that Naruto noticed a door which was out of place. He curiously opened it and was surprised at what he found.

There, in the middle of the room, was a securitron, except this one had a creepy smiling face programmed onto it. Naruto called for Viola who, upon entering, jumped form seeing the robot.

"Hey! Hi there, good to meet you! What can I do for you today?" It greeted in an overly happy voice. Viola seemed hesitant so Naruto spoke.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" He asked. After all, it was rather odd to see a securitron in someone's hotel room.

"Good questions! Allow me to introduce myself! I'm a PDQ-88b Securitron, but you can call me Yes Man! As for my function, I monitor Mr. House's data network and decode his encrypted transmissions!" The robot responded.

"Shouldn't you be working for Mr. House? How'd you end up here?"

"As I understand it, I used to be just like all those other securitrons on the Strip. But then my neuro-computational matrix was completely reprogrammed! To be nice! Very, very nice!"

"Benny reprogrammed a securitron? All by himself?" Viola asked. Benny didn't really seem to be the type to reprogram robots, let alone securitrons.

"Oh, he had some help - a lady friend of his! She said something about living in a fort over in Freeside... but that's all I remember!" Yes man exclaimed.

'_A fort in Freeside? Does he mean the Old Mormon Fort? Looks like we'll be seeing the Followers of the Apocalypse soon.' _Naruto thought to himself. He had heard of the Followers of the Apocalypse. Everyone had. His former leader, Caesar, had once been a member before he met Joshua Graham. He respected them as they seemed to be the only group that truly cared about the people in the wasteland. The NCR had good intentions but they really only cared about the people in the NCR, not the general population. There was also one huge flaw with them. They were like any two-headed animal, trying to go in different directions but ending up nowhere. (I will give whoever can tell me which character said that an internet cookie.)_  
><em>

"What was Benny planning to do with this chip?" Viola questioned while holding the Platinum Chip out to Yes Man. He seemed to study it for a moment before responding.

"Oh, that! He wants to kill Mr. House and use the Platinum Chip to copy my neuro-computational matrix onto the Lucky 38's mainframe. That should give me control over all of Mr. House's defenses, most prominently his Securitrons. And then, I just do what Benny tells me - easy peasy!"

"You're very... forthcoming with that information." Naruto said.

"I was programmed to be helpful and answer any questions I was asked. I guess nobody bothered to restrict who I answer questions for. That was probably pretty dumb, huh?" Yes Man explained. Naruto and Viola were both grateful for Benny's stupidity. Yes Man could help them out a lot in the future with the information he holds.

"What if I wanted to take over New Vegas, instead of Benny?" Viola asked. She wasn't really interested in doing it but she was still curious.

"Then I'd have to help you! I mean, it seems pretty obvious that Benny wouldn't want me to, but hey, it's not my fault I can't say no!"

"What are the details of the plan?" Naruto inquired.

"Again, goal number one is to eliminate Mr. House and install my neuro-computational matrix on the Lucky 38's mainframe! Given how you're a new arrival, I also recommend that you get to know some of the region's tribes, so you can decide how you feel about them! By the time that was finished, Caesar's legion should be close to attacking Hoover Dam and we'll execute the last phase of the plan!" He said. Naruto wanted to protest about the new arrival part but remembered that Viola hadn't been in the Mojave for long.

"Say Mr. House was going to suffer an accident. How would that happen?" Viola asked.

"It makes me feel really dumb to admit this, but I don't actually know! I've never been inside the Lucky 38! Nobody has!" Yes Man said a bit shamefully."Mr. House is in there though! It's the central node of his entire network!"

"I have actually been inside of the Lucky 38." Viola said.

"Wow! Do you have any idea how special that is? Red carpet treatment! Seems a little mean to use his invitation against him like that, but I'm sure it's all for the best! I mean, Benny was always scheming about how he was going to get into the Lucky 38, but you already took care of that. Wow! You already have the other thing that you need, the Platinum Chip. I don't know how you got it because Benny killed a courier near Goodsprings for it!"

"I'm the courier that Benny shot." Viola said.

"Hahaha! I know that's not true, because you still have a head!" Yes Man responded, not believing her.

"I'm serious." Viola said, a bit ticked off.

"Hahaha! That's not funny, you getting shot in the head. I really shouldn't have taken so much pride in how I set that up, huh? I feel really bad right now. Anyway, it's great that you have the Platinum Chip. It's the key to overriding and exploiting Mr. House's defenses! Did I just say exploiting? That's not a very nice word!"

"So we should ask tribes if they'll support an independent Vegas?" Naruto asked, wanting to get the conversation over with.

"Oh no, I didn't mean that! Who needs their support? The Securitrons will be all the support you need! What I meant is, you should get to know these tribes and decide which ones you like and which ones you don't! You know - shape the future of Vegas! Choose your neighbors! If you like a tribe, leave it alone! Or, if a tribe is nasty, or going to be a problem - go ahead and exterminate it! It's whatever you want to do!" The robot explained. Viola was put off by the idea of exterminating the tribes. She had never liked killing but did it because it was necessary. Naruto was inwardly weighing their options.

On one hand, he didn't know much about Mr. House but based on his actions during the war, he had plans for humanity and Vegas. On the other hand, they could make Vegas independent from the NCR and Legion alike while getting rid of people who would threaten it. In theory, what Yes Man suggested was good, but he would have to know more about Mr. House before he made a decision.

"What tribes should we get to know?" Viola questioned. She knew of a few, such as the Great Khans and the Omertas but not many more.

"There's a bunch! Some of them you've already met - like the Chairmen, for instance! I think you should visit the other families on the Strip, the Omertas and the White Glove Society, so you know what makes them tick! There are some other groups farther from the strip too, like the Boomers, the Great Khans, and the Brotherhood of Steel!"

"If something happens to Mr. House, I may be in touch." Viola said, ending their conversation. The robot waved as they walked out of the room and into the hallway they had entered Benny's suite from. The guards outside let them pass, and they quickly got into the elevator. After all, it wouldn't be very good if they were still in the casino when they found his body.

They grabbed their weapons back from the front desk and exited the casino.

"Where should we go first?" Viola asked as they passed through the gate into Freeside.

"We should go to the Old Mormon Fort. Yes Man mentioned someone from there helping Benny program him. We should check it out." Naruto suggested. Viola thought it was a good plan, and so they set off towards the fort, which wasn't very far away. A few minutes later, they arrived at the massive wooden gates of the Old Mormon Fort. Naruto pushed it open with one hand and allowed his companion to enter. After she was in, he let the gate close behind them.

They looked around, taking in the sights of the fort. There were numerous doctors, which was to be expected, along with a few medical tents that housed injured Freeside civilians.

Two of the doctors in particular stood out to them. The first was a woman with a rather odd hairstyle for a lady. She had a large mohawk and wore a standard Follower's lab coat. The second was a man with short blonde hair who seemed to hang back from everyone. He also wore the standard lab coat but also had a plasma defender at his waist.

"Excuse me." Viola said before tapping the woman on the shoulder.

"Are you here to drop off medical supplies? Leave them with the rest in the middle of the courtyard." She said dismissively.

"You are in need of medical supplies?" Naruto asked. He wasn't really surprised. Freeside was a wild place so it made sense that so many people went to the Followers.

"Rates of injury and illness in Freeside are very high. Supplies don't last long." The woman said sadly.

"What do you need?" The redhead questioned. He always carried an ample amount of medical supplies with him, ranging from super stimpacks to addictive chems.

"Med-X, Rad-Away, and Fixer are Freeside essentials. I can't pay you for any supplies you bring in, but I could discount the charge for our services." She offered. They both thought that it was a good deal.

"Alright. By the way, what's your name?" Viola asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's Julie, Julie Farkas." She introduced herself. After introductions were done, Naruto asked the question that had been on his mind since he entered.

"Hey, Julie? Who is that? He seems... different from the other Followers." He questioned while pointing at the blonde man.

"Oh, him? His name's Arcade Gannon. He tends to stay away from most people. He doesn't really speak to others much but he is a good researcher nonetheless. Why?" She asked curiously.

"Just wondering." He responded.

"Well, I have to get back to my duties. It was nice meeting you two." Julie said before walking off. Naruto then walked off towards the man with Viola in tow. Arcade, seeing them walking towards him, sighed and turned to face them.

"Hi. If you're looking for medical help, try the other doctors. I'm just a researcher. Not even a particularly good one." He greeted.

"What kind of research?" Viola asked. The man seemed uncomfortable but still answered.

"Oh, you know. Finding alternative treatments for common illnesses and injuries. Stimpacks out of barrel cacti and other fantastic improbabilities. As far as fruitless wastes of time go, it's pretty noble in its aims." Naruto had to agree with him on that, though he wondered why the followers would have him research that. They had to know that it just wasn't possible.

"What's the goal?" Naruto questioned.

"For the past hundred years or so, the Followers have managed to get by using salvaged medical supplies from the Old World. But the side effect of medical success is that more people live longer. Funny how that works. Eventually, we'll run out of hospitals to loot. We need new ways to produce those supplies. Or maybe old ways, if this research goes anywhere."

"You don't really seem to enthusiastic about it." Viola pointed out. Arcade didn't really seem like the type to join the Followers. He was sarcastic and didn't really like people which made him pretty much the opposite of the average Follower.

"I'm enthusiastic about helping people, but nihil novi sub sole." He said dismissively. Viola was confused about what he said at the end but was unable to voice it before Naruto stepped in.

"Et ubi fecisti opus discere?" Naruto asked. He was definitely shocked that someone outside of the Legion could speak Latin as the language had been considered dead long before the war ever happened.

"Nescis quia ultum. Et ego quae audivi ab holotapes libros reliquit." Arcade responded with a shrug.

"Isn't that the language that Caesar's Legion speaks?" She asked, interrupting their conversation.

"Caesar can cite Cato to suit his purpose. Many people have spoken Latin. Some of them were quite pleasant. It's unfortunate that the language is now associated with the gentlemen across the river." Arcade explained.

"Where did you learn it?" She questioned.

"Like I told your friend here, I didn't learn it from the Legion. Books, sheet music, gladiator movie holotapes. Bits and pieces here and there. The Followers have extensive libraries but we all draw water from the same old well. Even Caesar."

"What did you say? Nihi - what?" Viola asked, confused.

"Oh, sorry. "There is nothing new under the sun." If agave and mesquite were that miraculous, the locals would have figured it out a few thousand years ago."

"Why do you do research instead of providing medical assistance?" It was Naruto this time who asked. Arcade seemed to be a very intelligent person, given his understanding of Latin. He would do better as a doctor than a researcher.

"Not all Followers are people persons. Besides, someone needs to do research. I have no problem with Julie sticking me back here. Out of sight, out of mind. There are worse things one can be, though I do admit, it is a bit boring. Though it has a noble goal, I don't think this research will yield much fruit. No pun intended."

"You could come with us." Naruto offered. He glanced down at his companion who didn't seem to be against the idea.

"No offense intended, but why should I go anywhere with you two?" He asked bluntly.

"Things are bad around here, and we want to make a difference. I could also teach you more about Latin, if you wish." Naruto said.

"Hmm. That seems appropriately resolute and yet vague. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and go with you, but let me be clear about something. If you plan to help Caesar's Legion this is going to be a brief relationship. I may not have all the answers for how to fix Freeside's problems, but Caesar taking control isn't part of the solution. Fair?"

"That seems fair." Viola said with a nod.

"Well, let's not waste any time. There are people out there to help, things to learn. Maybe not in that order, but let's get to it." From there, they walked out of the fort and into the wasteland with Viola and Naruto forgetting why they went to the fort in the first place.

A few hours later, the sun began to set. The problem with that was the fact that they were nowhere near a town and didn't have any equipment to set up a camp. The turned onto a dirt path, hoping to find some sort of shelter. Just ahead, they saw a large fenced off area that strangely had a raging sandstorm going on in it. They shared a look before entering through a hole in the fence.

They were immediately forced to shield their eyes from the wind and sand. They trudged through it before spotting a bunker not far from them. They immediately headed towards it, seeing as it would be great shelter from the storm.

Once they had entered, they descended down a large set of stairs which led to a large open room. The room itself was pretty much barren, with only a door and an intercom in it. Naruto, being the boldest of the group, walked up to the intercom and spoke.

"Excuse me? Is there anyone there? We need shelter from the storm." He said. His answer came in the form of gas which exploded from the vents, knocking Arcade and Viola out almost instantly. He swore and tried to hold his breath but he could still feel the gas wearing him down. He eventually collapsed onto the floor near Arcade. The last thing he saw before he passed out was the door opening, with four individuals in power armor stepping out.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And chapter four is complete! I actually am not satisfied with this chapter, but I knew that I had to get it out eventually. In this chapter, we have Benny's death, the meeting with Yes Man and meeting the Followers along with Arcade. Naruto also knows Latin, which is something I felt like adding due to his past in the Legion. To be honest, I just used a translator. Next chapter, we have the meeting with the Brotherhood of Steel. I also need your opinions on how I should handle the DLC's. Do you want me to do them in order or would you like a specific one first. Obviously, Lonesome Road must be last. The DLC's are still a long way off but I wanted to know in advance.**

**As always, I hope you enjoyed and be sure to leave me some nice long reviews telling me what you liked or disliked about this chapter. It's very important because it helps me make the story more enjoyable for you.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hello again everybody. I'm glad to see that everyone seemed to enjoy the last chapter. In case you haven't noticed it yet, I've set up a poll on my profile so you guys can decide what DLC you want to see first. I would personally prefer to write them in order due to the fact that they all connect, but I will leave the decision to you. To answer a question a reviewer had, I WILL be including mods in this fic. So far, I am going to have Willow and New Vegas Bounties. If any of you have mod suggestions, please leave them in a review or send me a PM. Just to let you know in advance, this chapter might be a little rough. Anyway, before I blather on even more, let chapter 5 begin!****  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fallout or Naruto. They belong to Bethesda and Masashi Kishimoto respectively.**

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Naruto groggily awoke. Remembering what had happened, he jolted fully awake, scanning the room he was in, hoping to spot his companions. It didn't take long, as the room that they were being held in was rather small. Sighing, he tried to reach for his cleaver, only to realize that his hands were bound. This wasn't really a problem for Naruto, who easily broke free. He was about to free his companions when the door opened, revealing three men in T-51b power armor who were brandishing Tri-Beam Laser Rifles.<p>

"Don't move! I don't know how you got free, but I will not hesitate to have you executed, so don't make any sudden movements!" The leader barked. Naruto swore and was about to unseal a weapon when another man stepped in.

"Stop! Put away your weapons!" The man ordered, with the men obeying. The newcomer wore the same kind of armor as the others, sans the helmet and had a Gauss Rifle on his back. Naruto sighed in relief before focusing his attention on the man.

"Who are you? Where are we?" The redhead questioned.

"I am Paladin Ramos, chief of security. This is Hidden Valley, the main base for the Mojave chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel. Now, tell me, how did you find this place? And tell the truth, because I'll know if you're lying."

"We merely stumbled upon this bunker. We figured that it would be great shelter from the storm." Naruto explained.

"An interesting story. It may even be true. Under normal circumstances, your story wouldn't make any difference. You'd be dead already. Lucky for you - probably - Elder McNamara wants to meet you. Feel free to wake up your friends, they should be present as well." Ramos said, his face maintaining its stoic expression. Nodding, Naruto untied Arcade and Viola after explaining the situation to them.

"Are you three finished?" Ramos asked, sounding impatient. After receiving nods he continued."Good. Now follow me, closely or you'll be killed." The Paladin led them out of the room and through a door which led to the lower level.

They were led into a massive room, which had two more Paladins guarding the door. In the center of the room was a large circular desk, with a man in blue robes sitting behind it.

After Ramos had left the room, the Elder motioned for them to approach him, which they did. The guards at the door grabbed their Gauss Rifles off of their backs, just in case they would attempt to attack the Elder.

"I've been informed that you bring us ill tidings. Care to elaborate?" The Elder questioned. At first, they were confused by what he meant, especially Arcade. It was then that Naruto remembered. While they were searching the Repconn Headquarters, they had found a dead Brotherhood of Steel patrol. On one of the paladins, they found a holotape which detailed their mission. At the time, they didn't really pay that much attention to it.

"We found one of your patrols out in the wastes. Your men are dead." He informed the Elder. McNamara's expression turned grim.

"That is sad news indeed, and I thank you for making your way here to convey it to us, but now the issue remains that outsiders know of our location. You took an extreme risk in coming here. My policy towards trespassers has not been... lenient. The security of this bunker is my foremost concern, and I take pains to minimize our exposure topside. For this reason, I might be interested in contracting with an outsider, who can accomplish certain tasks - some basic, some a bit more... involved." Naruto didn't even bother to correct the Elder about their reason for coming to Hidden Valley.

"What is it that you need?" Viola asked. She knew that it would be a good idea to get on the Brotherhood's good side.

"Allow me to explain our situation. This bunker is currently locked down, allowing no entry or exit, with you three being some of the few exceptions. In exceptional cases, teams are sent out to investigate sites or retrieve materials deemed too important to ignore. Three such teams have gone missing recently, and the news of their disappearance has not yet been widely spread to avoid undue concern. In order to maintain the peace, and adhere to the strictures of the lockdown, I need to send someone else to discover what happened to them. We already know of what happened to the first, but there are still two more out there that may still be alive." McNamara elaborated.

"We'll begin looking immediately." Naruto said, noticing the Elder relax when they agreed to help.

"I'm glad I can count on you. Oh, and one other thing. As you already are aware, the patrols each had a holotape detailing their missions that you can use to track them. The shielding of the bunker prevents us from actively tracking them, but their positions should show up on your friend's map once you get to the surface." He said while motioning towards Viola's Pip-Boy. "Should our worst fears become realized, please bring back the other two holotapes from the patrols. Otherwise, bring our brothers home. I've given the order that you be given access to some of the equipment our scouts and patrols have scavenged over the years. You won't be allowed to purchase any prohibited equipment, but hopefully some of what's available will prove useful to you." The Elder finished, waving them off in favor of his work. As they exited the room, another man confronted them. He, like almost every Paladin, wore the standard issue power armor, but like Ramos, he left the helmet off. He was a large, rather intimidating man, a stark contrast to the Elder's calm demeanor and smaller frame.

"So, you're the outsiders who've been given leave to wander around freely. Desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess. Name's Hardin. I'm the Head Paladin of this chapter, and I think we might be able to help each other out. I don't know what the Elder talked to you about, but I can tell you this chapter is in trouble, and he's at the center of it. Are you willing to listen to what I have to say?" The obvious disrespect towards the Elder did not go unnoticed by any of them, but they decided to hear him out.

"Sure, go ahead." Naruto said, intrigued.

"As you may have already heard, this entire base is under a state of lockdown. No one goes out except small patrols at night." Hardin started.

_'That would explain the storm. It would make for perfect cover for patrols to slip out unnoticed.'_ Naruto pondered.

"Most of the chapter has been sealed in here for years, and those few who were outside when the lockdown was initiated are forbidden from returning. Morale has plummeted as time has gone by, and many of our current Paladins haven't even seen combat outside of training simulations. All because of the Elder's explicit order that no one be allowed in or out. The only way things will change is if a new Elder is installed." He finished, revealing his ulterior motive.

"How do you propose to do that?" Arcade spoke for the first time since he had woken up. He was extremely confused about what was going on, but at the same time he couldn't help but feel intrigued by the Brotherhood. He had heard about them, but he didn't really know anything besides the fact that they collected technology from the Old World, which made them a force to be reckoned with, even against the NCR, which was demonstrated at Helios One.

"I don't know. I've gone through our records dozens of times looking for a precedent regarding the dismissal of an Elder and come up with nothing. The people who are most likely to know how it could be done are also some of McNamara's strongest supporters, so they refuse to help me, which is why we're having this conversation. An outsider such as yourself would arouse less suspicion asking questions about such matters. The fact that the Elder has some tasks for you means his faithful won't suspect you, and you have a line open to the man himself. In short, you're in a perfect position to help me. Will you at least think about it?" Hardin questioned. In a way, Hardin reminded Naruto of Vulpes, although Hardin had much more honor than he did. They both were not above overthrowing their leaders in order to help themselves. The only real difference between the two was the fact that Hardin had an at least somewhat justifiable reason, whereas Vulpes only wanted what was best for himself.

"I'll see what I can do." Naruto told him, which seemed to satisfy him.

"That'll have to do. I'd recommend going to see Ramos first. As head of security, he's more familiar with our protocols than anyone else here. You could also try to find something relevant in our data store, though last I heard, Scribe Ibsen was having a bit of a problem accessing it. And if McNamara should give you any tasks, I'd ask that you kept me abreast of them. Report anything you find to me, and we'll move from there." Hardin informed them before walking off to plan. They were all wary of the man, but decided to keep an open mind. Opening the door to their left, they ascended the staircase which led to the upper level.

Once they had exited the bunker, Viola brought up her Pip-Boy. Pressing the button labeled "DATA" she scrolled to the world map in order to locate the other two holotapes. She found that one of them was very close to them while the other was in the far Northeastern corner of the map near a marker labeled "Nellis Air Force Base". Deciding that they might as well get the first one since it was so close, they followed the marker, which led through a hole in the fencing.

As soon as they had made it up the incline, they were forced to dodge a large glob of vomit courtesy of a centaur. Naruto grabbed his cleaver and swiftly dealt with the first two while Arcade and Viola got rid of the others. Once the area had been cleared, they descended into the crater, hearing the Geiger Counter on Viola's Pip-Boy begin to click. Naruto searched one of the dead Paladins, finding the mission holotape before noticing something glinting on one of the centaurs. Quirking an eyebrow, he investigated, finding that the glinting object was a dog collar with the name "MOE" emblazoned on it.

'_I knew that super mutants kept centaurs as pets, but naming them? That's a little odd, even for super mutants.'_ He thought. Shaking it off, he climbed out of the crater where Arcade and Viola were waiting. He unsealed three doses of Rad-Away, which his companions accepted. After ridding themselves of radiation, they stepped through a gate which led to an old winding road. As soon as they stepped through, a super mutant stopped them.

"This is a dangerous place, human - especially for your kind! I suggest you turn back. There's nothing good waiting for you further on." The mutant spoke, hoping to dissuade them from going any further.

"What makes this a dangerous place?" Viola questioned.

"You must've heard her radio broadcasts? Though why a human would follow her invitation here is beyond me... unless you didn't listen very closely. The voice on the radio belongs to Tabitha, the "supreme commander" of Black mountain - or, as she calls it, "The State of Utobitha". She took control of this place almost two years ago. The super mutants here do whatever she says - and she says humans are to be killed on sight." He explained. The group shared a glance. They had heard her voice alright. Before they arrived at Hidden Valley, Viola picked up a radio signal on her Pip-Boy. At first it seemed to be just a normal music station, but then Tabitha came on. Needless to say, they didn't stay tuned to that station for long.

"How did Tabitha end up in control?" Naruto asked.

"For years, Black Mountain was a peaceful community. Its leader, Marcus, broadcast an invitation to mutants throughout the wasteland. That's how I found Black Mountain. So did others, most of them second generation mutants. Marcus welcomed everyone - that was his mistake. The community ended up being mostly second gen - not very bright but easy to influence. Fine, until the Nightkin came along, led by Tabitha. In a week she had most of the second gens thinking she was some kind of prophet - and that she should be broadcasting her "truth", not Marcus. Marcus saw what was coming and decided to leave before things got out of hand. He smashed the radio and left, founding Jacobstown soon after."

"You say Marcus smashed the radio. Not very well, apparently?"

"Heh. There's a sad story behind that. Marcus smashed it just fine, but while we were gone some ghoul named Raul came along. Tabitha turned him into her personal mechanic. A slave, really. See, if I'd been standing down here, I could've warned him before it was too late." He said with a bit of self loathing. The group all made a mental note about Raul.

"Why are you here, instead of Jacobstown?" If what he said about the place was true, then he would be much better off there instead of Black Mountain.

"Marcus sent me here a couple of months ago to check on Black Mountain. I suppose you could say I came here as a spy. But, with no signs of Tabitha's weakening, and none of the second gens ready to revolt or come to Jacobstown, there wasn't much I could do. Down here, on the other hand, I've saved a dozen mutants from heading up the mountain. It's not much, but it's something. I have my own reasons to stay away from Jacobstown for a while - reasons we won't be discussing - so I've stayed here."

"Sounds like you've had enough of Tabitha. What if you had some help?" Naruto asked, using his natural charisma to his advantage.

"Help would improve the odds. Help might just make the difference. All right, if you're good enough at what you do to meet me in the village up near the peak, we can talk further. I'll have a plan by the time I see you, if I see you. Good luck. It's going to be a lot harder for you to get up there than it will be for me." With that, the mutant ran off, with the mutants stationed at the blockades letting him pass.

Seeing that they would be fighting super mutants, Naruto sealed his cleaver away and grabbed a weapon that would prove much more effective. At first, it looked like a brush gun, a weapon used by NCR veteran rangers, but when you looked closer, you could notice the differences. The most noticable one was the stock, which had a symbol similar to a Native American dream catcher on it. The symbol itself was made of beads and feathers. (Medicine Stick from GRA).

He aimed down the sights, steadying his breathing before firing, nailing a super mutant holding a light machine gun in the head, which killed him instantly. The other mutant noticed and was about to open fire with his minigun, but was unable to when a bullet pierced his brain. As he fell, the group continued up the road.

It didn't take long for them to come across another blockade, although there were three mutants at this one. Viola quickly grabbed her Q-35 off of her back and fired three shots, managing to kill one of the mutants. The other two managed to dodge, due to the rather slow speed plasma projectiles traveled at. The first mutant charged at them with his super sledge drawn while the other hung back with his hunting rifle. Seeing that the one with the super sledge was about to flatten Arcade, Naruto vanished and appeared between them, holding back the hammer with his right hand. His sudden appearance shocked them both.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed away the hammer and slammed his fist into the mutant's gut, causing him to double over. Taking advantage, Naruto kicked his feet out from under him, sending him to the ground. As the mutant was about to get up, Naruto curbstomped his head, causing it to explode in gore and brain matter. After he was dealt with, Naruto saw that Viola had already taken care of the mutant with the gun.

After he wiped the blood off of his boots, the redhead offered a hand to Arcade, who accepted. The doctor thanked him, which Naruto waved off. With that fiasco over, the group continued up the road, managing to make it to the village at the peak. Viola's Geiger Counter started clicking again, most likely because of the crater which decorated the center of the village.

As they turned a corner, two super mutants armed with sledgehammers charged at them. Naruto ripped the sledgehammer out of the hands of the first one before spinning and smashing it into the other one's head with enough force to cave in the side of his head. As he fell dead, Arcade dispatched the other one with a shot to the head.

With them finished, the group continued up the hill, only for another mutant to stop them. This one, however, was different. Instead of the light brown colored skin of the other mutants, this one had light purple skin along with a stealth boy on his wrist. His weapon was a rather odd sword, one that they hadn't seen before. An exhaust pipe served as the handle while the blade was fashioned from a car bumper with the license plate still attached. The three instantly recognized it as a nightkin, which were similar to normal super mutants, only with purple skin and an addiction to Stealth Boys.

As Viola drew her Q-35, she felt the world slow to a stop. The nightkin froze in mid-swing, bewildering her. She looked to her left, seeing that Arcade and Naruto were also frozen.

"What the hell is going on?" She mumbled to herself. All of a sudden, a loud and oddly cheerful female voice made itself known.

"Welcome to V.A.T.S, otherwise known as the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System! As the name suggests, this function of your Pip-Boy 3000 will assist you in targeting, allowing for greater freedom and heightened accuracy with your weapon of choice!" The voice spoke in her ear, less like an external voice and more like a voice coming from her actual ear canal.

With V.A.T.S activated, she felt like GOD.

Three shots later, the nightkin went down from a shot to the neck. When she exited V.A.T.S, Naruto and Arcade acted as if nothing had happened. Deciding not to question it, she continued up the road. Pretty soon, they reached the peak. Before they could celebrate, however, they were forced to jump away from a missile aimed at them by a nightkin on the radio tower.

The nightkin was not able to finish reloading as Naruto killed him with a shot to the heart. The missile launcher itself landed beside them. Normally, they wouldn't care, but Naruto saw a name scratched into the side: Annabelle. Deciding that since it was unique, it had to be better than the average missile launcher, Naruto picked it up and sealed it away. Seeing that there were no more enemies in the area, they entered one of the buildings, hoping to find the ghoul that had been taken captive.

The room that they entered was filled with junk and various supplies, though one thing in particular stood out to them. On a table to their right was a deactivated Mr. Handy with the name "Rhonda" scratched onto a nameplate. Intrigued, Naruto checked its circuitry, seeing that its AI was set to hibernate, most likely a self-defense mechanism after it suffered catastrophic damage. Whoever repaired it probably didn't know how to reset its AI. After flipping the right switch, the robot jumped to life.

"Hello. Could you please direct me to mistress Tabitha?" The robot asked. They were a bit surprised that it asked for Tabitha, but they remembered that Tabitha had referred to someone named Rhonda during the radio broadcast.

"Sure, follow me." Naruto said, beckoning for it to follow.

"Thank you very much. My internal clock says it's been 6 years, 52 days, 40 minutes, and 13 seconds since I last spoke to her. I hope she hasn't gotten lonely." The robot said with as much worry as it could muster, which was not much given the fact that it was a robot. After looting the room a bit, they stepped outside, where they were greeted by a nightkin wearing a blonde wig and pink sunglasses.

"What do you think you're... R-Rhonda? Is that you?" She asked in disbelief. The robot floated over to her, with the group merely watching them.

"It is, Mistress Tabitha. How I've missed you so. This stranger here fixed me up right as rain. Is he a friend of yours?" Rhonda asked with one of its hands pointed at Naruto. Tabitha walked over to him, an expression of gratitude on her face.

"I... don't know how to thank you for bringing Rhonda back to me, stranger. Here, take this. I won't be needing it anymore." She said, handing him a key.

"What will you do now?" He asked after tucking the key away.

"I don't know. It's been so long since I lost Rhonda that I'm not sure..." She trailed off.

"Mistress Tabitha, we should be heading off. Our journey has been much delayed, but we can catch up if we hurry. Come along now." Rhonda interjected before floating off, with Tabitha hurrying to catch up. With that, they left, leaving Black Mountain behind. The group were all glad that they found a peaceful resolution to the problem, as they had enough of fighting for one day. After a few moments, they decided to search one of the other buildings on the peak.

When they entered, they saw that there were two terminals along with a locked door. Turning on the terminal nearest to them, Naruto saw that there were numerous logs. He scanned through them and saw that the logs were written by Raul, the ghoul that was being held prisoner. The last log in particular interested him.

* * *

><p><em>Tabitha came in today and said she's concerned about my safety. She's insisted that I change the lock on my door to require a password, using one of the other computers I fixed. I'm really starting to regret ever fixing those.<em>

_The password is 123456789. Like anyone who cares will ever read this._

* * *

><p>The log ended there. Naruto turned on the other terminal and entered the password, disengaging the lock. He opened the door and they stepped in, seeing who they assumed to be Raul sitting at a desk. He was wearing a dark green mechanic jumpsuit with the name Miguel printed on it. At his waist was a .44 magnum, which looked to be well taken care of, judging from the polished steel.<p>

"Took you long enough. So, can I go now?" He greeted, sounding impatient. His voice was rough and gravelly, which was a side effect of becoming a ghoul.

"What do you mean, took me long enough?" Naruto asked.

"Sorry. I assumed the only reason you'd fight past a horde of super mutants and pick the lock on my cell is if you heard my cry for help on the radio. But maybe you're just sightseeing. So, since the door's open and all, can I go now?" He spoke, sarcasm practically dripping from his tone.

"Who are you?" Viola asked.

"Name's Raul. Raul Alfonso Tejada. I'm the mechanic around here." He informed her. She already knew, but she was hoping that he would tell them more than they already knew.

"It's okay by me. Enjoy your freedom." Naruto said, thinking that he would run off.

"Alrighty then, I'll just head out. Alone. By myself. Into the dangerous wastes." He remarked with even more sarcasm than before.

"Do you want to tag along with us?" Viola offered.

"Anything's better than staying here. Let's go." He said without hesitation. After all, he had been held captive by super mutants for years, forced to fix the numerous things they broke while locked in a room. Anyone would want out of that situation.

As they exited, they noticed that the sun was starting to get lower. They decided to get going before it was too late. As they descended Black Mountain, they passed Tabitha, who didn't seem to care that they had released Raul.

Once they reached the bottom of the mountain, they made sure to steer clear of Quarry Junction. The place was infested with deathclaws, or, as Naruto liked to call them, walking murder machines. They walked south, also avoiding the NCRCF due to the Powder Gangers. Eventually, they made it to the Mojave Outpost. The ranger in charge of the place allowed them to stay for one night, but they would have to leave in the morning. They accepted the offer, and promptly collapsed into the beds, exhausted from their rather long day.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And that's a wrap! In this chapter, we have the beginning of the Brotherhood of Steel questline along with meeting Raul. Some of you may be upset that I didn't introduce Veronica, but bear in mind that she doesn't stay at Hidden Valley. This chapter was hard for me to write, as I really haven't been having much motivation to write recently. Sorry if this chapter was not quite as good as the others. On the bright side, it is pretty long, at least by my standards. Now, this is as large as the group is going to get. Four people is more than enough. Before more companions join Naruto and Viola, one of the other two will have to go. Also, to clear up some confusion about the pairing, it's Naruto/Viola for sure and I may add more. There won't be much romance until later in the story so I can allow it to build up properly. **

**As always, I hope you enjoyed and be sure to leave me some nice, long reviews telling me what you liked and disliked about this chapter. It helps a lot more than you think!**


End file.
